Dianda's Italian American Pastry Company

2883 Mission Street

Tel: 415-647-5469

Unlike the remoteness and bohemian fogginess of the North Beach original, this place rocks in bright, sensuous and vibrant colors and sounds of the Mish' (Mission District). Dianda's is famous for its classic Italian cakes and pastries.

What continues to hook me with each visit are the small puff pastry balls. While I find them impossible to make Dianda's sells these treats for around $7.5/lb, and I can fill them with custards, ice cream and just about anything else under the sun. Simple and exotic desserts at home. They always cause a small sensation, and people wonder how the hell I did it.

Best known for wedding cakes bigger and whiter than the bride's long train, Dianda's also offers any confection you can imagine with almond flavor. Now, while that's just not my cup of tea, these treats are wildly popular, so I simply assume that my taste is just another one of my limitations.

What makes this bakery and its sister ships so popular are the rum flavored custards that go into their eclairs, immense and beautiful St. Honore cakes, and the fantastic panettone. The service is motherly, and there's uncomfortable seating in which to try the goodies yet almost everyone shops to go here. It's a San Francisco tradition.

Stu Smith

Comment and suggestions to Stusmith97@aol.com

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